Bliss
by I'm Infinite
Summary: 100 Themes Challenge, one chapter for each prompt. Chapters can be anywhere from 350 words up to a thousand or so. Hope you all enjoy! Rated T for language, some violence, and possible suggestive adult themes. NaruSaku.
1. chapter one: Introduction

» Chapter one: Introduction

"Ino-chan! Ino-chan! Wait up!" a young Haruno Sakura called after her best friend as she ran towards a playground.

The blonde turned around and smirked. "You're too slow, Sakura!" she told her. "You've got to keep up!" She placed her hands on her hips as her pink-haired friend reached her.

Panting slightly, crouched over and hands on her knees, Sakura said, "Nyaa, Ino-chaan~ You can't go so fast."

Rolling her eyes, Ino turned around and waved to her other friends. "Hey guys!" she called. "We're here!" The young girl skipped over as Sakura followed obediently.

Sakura stood around as her friend chatted with the other girls, watching the other kids play on the equipment. Suddenly, she noticed a blond, spiky-haired boy surrounded by several other young boys.

"I just want to play with you guys!" the blond said desperately. "Why won't you let me?"

"Go away, you loser!" Sakura heard one of the other kids say. "We don't like you!" She watched as the crowd scurried off, leaving the blond boy alone.

She turned and faced her friend, and gently tugged on her shirt. "Ino-chan?" Her friend looked at her. "Who.. who is that kid over there?" She pointed the lonely boy sitting by a slide.

Turning to face Sakura, Ino grabbed her by the shoulder and waggled a finger in her face. "His name is Naruto," she told her. "But don't, I repeat, _don't _talk to him. It's social suicide!"

The rosette gave her friend a weird look. "But—"

"Don't, okay!" Ino repeated. "Don't talk to him. In fact, don't even look at him." Then she let Sakura go and walked after her other friends.

Sakura stared after her for a moment before looking at the blond one more time. _He seems so lonely…_ she thought. _And… sad. What could he have done that was so terrible that no one likes him? _She kept her gaze on him for a few moments before running after her friend, still deep in thought about the lonely blond boy.

End «


	2. chapter two: Love

» Chapter two: Love

He took her soft, pale hands in his tan, calloused ones. He looked into her bright sea-foam green eyes, but said not a word, for he did not want to ruin the moment.

She looked into his sapphire blue eyes, which told a story words cannot. She leaned closer, her hands shifting under his. Her breathing was minimal; any louder and the silence would be gone.

The two ninjas closed their eyes, sharing this moment of complete solitude and peace. They didn't know when to leave, for they did not want to leave.

Moonlight lit the darkness they sat in, lighting up the drops of dew on the viridian grass. Usually, in this situation, she would feel uncomfortable, but over the years she matured and he did, too. The only thing she was waiting for was him doing something, saying something, anything. He was tense, nervous, she could tell.

Trying to find the right words had always been hard for him, but never had it been as difficult as this. He could say that small phrase, however… Those three words just didn't seem like enough; they weren't worthy of her.

In the end, though, he decided to finally spit the words out.

"I love you."

Barely above a whisper did he utter this, but he was nervous as ever. A single drop of sweat trailed down the side of his head as he waited for a reply, his lips dry and his stoic expression wavering.

She smiled; it was so like him to get anxious with things like this. Her coral-coloured lips parted slightly as the girl breathed out,

"I love you, too."


	3. chapter three: Light

» Chapter three: Light

"Finally you're back," Sakura said, looking up from the small fire she had been stoking. "Where's the kindling?"

Naruto shook his head remorsefully. "The only things I could find were wet," he told his teammate as he sat down on the other side of the flame.

The rosette sighed, poking at the burning twigs. She flinched away as embers flickered up and floated in the wind. "This fire is pitiful," she said with a pout.

Her teammate mindlessly threw a stone into the fire, the crimson flames eating it up. "No kidding. It'll probably go out in less than an hour." He leaned back with a sigh, taking off his headband and setting it down.

A chilly breeze blew through the cave they were in, sending shivers down Sakura's spine. Seeing this, Naruto ripped off his jacket and rushed to her side, draping it over her shoulders . "Here you go, Sakura-chan," he murmured.

"I'm fine, Naruto," Sakura assured him, looking up. "Besides, I don't want you to be cold."

"I'll be fine, Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned. "I just want you to be warm."

She frowned, tugging the jacket closer to her. Her cheeks filled with blood as she said, "Okay..." She looked back at the weakening fire as the wind picked up. Soon, the light pitter-patter of rain falling filled the silence. "Oh, man..."

Naruto stole a glance at the trembling girl beside him. She was propped up against the cave wall, her legs tucked underneath her. Her windblown hair perfectly framed her pale pink face. Huddled underneath his orange jacket, her eyes flickered in the dull light of the fire.

She noticed him staring at her, and turned her head slightly to look at him. "What?" she questioned as another gust of wind brought in water droplets, hitting the flame.

He didn't respond right away, still mesmerised by her very presence. The blond shook his head, catching himself. "N-nothing, Sakura-chan," he said with a nervous laugh. They both sat still, looking at each other, until Sakura turned her attention back to the dying blaze in front of them, and Naruto sat back against the wall of the cave.

Just five minutes later, the rain had picked up, hitting against the cave with full force, and Sakura found herself drowsing off. Naruto was still wide awake, however, having slept until noon that morning. He glanced over at the rosette, her body shivering in the cold. Her eyelids fluttered open and closed, the kunoichi struggling to stay awake.

The blond took a deep breath and shuffled closer to her. He slipped an arm underneath her and shifted her body so it was leaning against his own. She was awake enough to realise this and eyed him. "Hey..." But she didn't speak another word, because she was actually beginning to warm up. So she let it slide, and rested her head on his shoulder.

Naruto smiled and nuzzled his head against hers, bringing her closer as the fire neared its final moments. He watched her eyelids begin to droop again, loosening up in his hold. She looked so peaceful, so at ease, balancing at the threshold between wakefulness and sleep.

He opened his mouth slightly and said softly, "Sakura-chan, I... Would it be okay if I..." He faltered as Sakura stirred in his grip. She looked at him, lips just barely parted.

Naruto leaned down as Sakura moved closer, their lips meeting just as the fire finally gave out.

End «

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><p>I forgot to do this, so I had to whip it up quickly. Except it wasn't quick at all. This actually ended up much longer than I intended, but I think it came out okay. (: I hope you enjoyed!<p> 


	4. chapter four: Dark

» Chapter four: Dark

I couldn't see a thing. If there was any source of light at all, it was nowhere to be found. So instead I put my hands on the wall and felt my way around as I tried to figure out where I was.

"Kakashi-sensei? Yamato-taichou? Sai? ...Naruto?" I called softly into the darkness, unsure of whether or not anyone else was here with me. Judging by the silence, apparently I was alone.

So I continued on my path until I felt a dead-end. I cursed under my breath as I turned around to the way I came, frustrated that I had no idea what was going on, until I saw something in the distance: a soft glow, a light. But, it was a person, too...

"Naruto?" I said, almost to myself. "Naruto, hey! What's going on?" He didn't answer me; his back was turned to me, so I began walking toward him. "Hey, what's wrong? Why won't you talk to me?" I didn't seem to be getting any closer to him; in fact, he seemed to be getting farther away from me.

My pace quickened as I questioned, "Naruto, where are you going? Please, come here..." Soon I broke out into a full-out run, my hands clenched into fists. Still, he was only growing more distant.

My frustration transformed into tears as I tried to reach him, in vain. "Naruto...! What's - please, what's going on? Stop! Don't leave!" My protests were futile, for he kept walking wherever he was going to, not even sparing a glance in my direction. He didn't even seem to realise I was there. And his image only grew smaller.

"Naruto!" I cried again, sprinting towards him. But before I knew it, he had disappeared, leaving me alone in the dark.

"Gah!" I screamed, sitting up straight. I realised I was sitting in my bed, in my room, as I looked around my surroundings. Everything was... Normal. It was only a dream.

Or a nightmare.

I threw the blankets off me and stumbled out of bed, throwing on a light jacket over my flimsy pink nightgown then slipping on fluffy pink slippers. Opening the door to my balcony, I shivered as a cold gust of wind hit my body. I momentarily considered grabbing another article of clothing, but decided against it.

I stepped out onto the balcony before

jumping down and into the streets of Konoha. The village was completely void of its usual bustling roads and instead replaced with silence and darkness, of course, because it was around three a.m. Good; I don't have to deal with others.

I ran as fast as I could, occasionally taking a turn or two. Finally, I reached my destination: Naruto's apartment. Dashing up the steps, I made my way to his door, which I had already memorised by heart.

I reached up and knocked softly on his door, and then harder and louder after a moment passed and he didn't answer. "Naruto!" I said, my voice just above normal level, as I didn't want to wake anyone. "Naruto, open up!"

A rustling and footsteps were heard behind the door, and in a few seconds the door creaked open ajar to reveal an obviously tired Naruto. "Sakura-chan...?" he muttered, opening the door entirely. He was a mess; his hair was completely disheveled, eyelids drooping and dark circles under his eyes, and a tiny sliver of drool on his collar. "What are you doing here so late?"

My arms were wrapped around my trembling body as I said, "I don't know, I just... I needed to see if you were okay."

He was alert now, and he straightened up. "Huh? Why? I'm fine."

I nodded. "Yeah, I can see that," I mumbled, looking at the floor.

"Is... Is something wrong, Sakura-chan?" I heard him ask.

"No, no, of course not," I assured him with a shake of my head. "Um... I should probably, uh, probably get going now."

"No!" Naruto said as I turned to leave. "You're already here, why don't you come in for some tea? It's kind of chilly out there, you know."

Smiling, I nodded as I said, "Yes, thank you, that would be nice." My worries were cast away as he allowed me in his apartment, putting a hand on the small of my back and leading me to his kitchen. He was here, he was safe. And he would not leave me.

End «

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><p>Idk, I thought it was a good concept. I wasn't sure how to end it lmao.<p> 


	5. chapter five: Seeking Solace

» Chapter four: Seeking Solace

"Naruto, I-"

"Shhh," he silenced her in a hushed tone. "I know."

There were tears in her eyes, streaked on her cheeks, face flushed in sadness. Her bottom lip trembled as she looked up at Naruto, who looked down at the sorrow-stricken kunoichi, sharing her grief. She threw herself into his arms, her fingers grasping at the back of his shirt and her face pressed against his neck. "I... I don't know what I'm going to do," she murmured, her voice muffled against his skin.

Naruto nodded against her head as he wrapped his arms around her, one hand on her back and the other stroking her hair lovingly. "I know," he said softly. "I've been through the same thing. When Ero-sennin died, I... Was lost. I didn't know what I'd do without him. I thought it was my fault, that I failed because I couldn't protect my master.

"So I can understand how you feel, Sakura-chan. Just like Ero-sennin, Tsunade-baachan fell a hero. She was protecting the Alliance. She died honourably."

Sakura sniffled woefully. "Yes, you're right..." she breathed. "But it doesn't make the pain any less strong."

The young blonde gripped her tightly. "I know," he repeated. "You're going to have to go through a lot to accept this and move on. It's going to be so painful. But, just know that, I'll be here every step of the way."

She raised her head to look at him, wiping a tear from her eye. "Thank you... Naruto."

Naruto said nothing, but merely nodded against her hair as Sakura stayed pressed against him, her troubles and fears fading away, if only for a moment.

End «

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><p>Just for the rscore - for those of you who read the manga - I wrote this BEFORE Madara even showed up to the battlefield. So I guess I (possibly) predicted the future! :p<p> 


	6. chapter six: Break Away

» Chapter six: Break Away

My heart pounded as I sat on my own on the bloodstained grass. I was nervous as hell, and had no idea what I was going to tell her.

"Naruto?" I heard her voice call me. It was always so beautiful, a small, song-like voice that could easily turn into a violent roar when she was angry. I always admired that about her.

I looked up at her. She looked gorgeous, even with her pants and sleeves torn, dirt in her hair and blood on her green flak jacket. "Ah, Sakura-chan..." I rose from the ground to greet her. "You look great."

I could have sworn there was the slightest hint of a blush beneath the grime on her cheeks. "Don't be silly, Naruto," she said, tossing a strand of hair behind her shoulder. "I look terrible."

"You never could," I said sheepishly. I soon turned serious, however. "Listen, there's something I have to tell you."

Sakura's expression went from bashful to solemn. "Uh, yeah, what is it?"

Glancing around to search for a quiet, solitary spot, I looked back at her and whispered, "Not here." I took her by the hand and led her away to a small tree in the distance, away from everyone.

"Okay, we're here..." she said as I exhaled, trying to gather my thoughts. "What do you want to say?"

"Look," I began, not sure where I was going or what I was going to say. "My role in this war is very specific. There's only a few more people to take down, that I, personally, have to take down, in order for this war to end. One of them is Tobi. The other is Madara, and then Kabuto I guess. The other person is..." I trailed off.

She knew who I was referring to; it wasn't that hard to tell. "And... And you're going to do that now?" she asked softly.

"Yes," I breathed.

Her eyebrows knit together in a determined expression, and she nodded. "Alright," she said, "let's go." She pushed past me and took a few steps before I turned around.

"I'm going alone."

Sakura froze. She was completely still for a moment, before slowly turning around. "What?" she said under her breath.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "You can't come with me," I told her. "No one can."

She kept looking at me, her gaze unmoving. I almost crumbled under her icy green stare. "A-alone?" I nodded. "You.. You can't go alone! What if you get hurt? Who will be there to help you?"

"The reason I have to go alone, why no one can come with me, is because I can't let anyone else get hurt. This is my battle, and mine alone."

"If you don't want a bunch of people with you, fine; but can't you at least let me come? Even if I can't help, I just want to be there with you..."

I shook my head. "You're the one I'm most worried about," I said. "I almost lost you once..." I thought back to the time in Iron Country, when I witnessed Sasuke about to plunge a kunai right through her. I hid it then, but that sight killed me inside. I managed to push away my anger and instead deal with the issue at hand. But I could never forget how I could almost feel my heart crack. "If something happened to you... I could never forgive myself."

Tears had begun to form in the corner of her eyes. "You're... You're not serious, are you?"

"I am."

She reached out to me, her delicate, pale hand about to touch mine, but I drew away. Her expression shattered. "Naruto..."

I closed my eyes, knowing that this may very well be the last time I get to hear her speak my name, the last time I hear her voice, the last time I see her at all. "I'm sorry," I muttered, and sprang away, quickly gaining speed. I knew that, with her chakra drained from fighting and healing so many people, she wouldn't be able to catch up to me.

So I looked ahead, my intention determined, but my heart broken. _Sakura-chan... I'm sorry._

End «

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><p>I know, it's lame. Maybe I'll write something better later.<p> 


	7. chapter seven: Heaven

» Chapter seven: Heaven

"Ne, ne, Sakura-chan," Naruto said, prodding his pink-haired teammate. "You see this?" He was pointing to a scantily-clad woman in a magazine.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Did you buy another dirty magazine?" She sighed. "What about her?"

Naruto shook his head. "It's not a dirty magazine," he assured her. "You know, I just don't get it-"

"It's called the female body, Naruto. I would have expected you to know that by now."

"Sakura-cha~~an~~~"

The rosette chuckled. "I'm joking, I'm joking," she told him. "Go on."

"Well, you see, they try to make her out to be this gorgeous goddess," he began, "but she's not even that pretty. They should use someone who's cuter, beautiful. You know, like you."

She turned to face him, her cheeks flushed. They were seated on the floor of her apartment, looking at books and magazines that she happened to have. There were candles spread throughout, lighting the otherwise dark room, and filling the building with an intoxicating scent. "H-hey, what are you getting at?" she stuttered. Although she often received compliments, she never got used to them and always got a little embarrassed.

"I'm not getting at anything!" Naruto assured his teammate, a sheepish smile on his face. "Well..." He got on his knees and leaned closer to Sakura, taking her face in his hands. His sapphire blue eyes stared deeply at her bright green orbs, almost as if he was looking into her soul. A vivid pink sheen coloured her cheeks as she softly spoke his name: "Naruto...?"

He shushed her by softly pressing his lips against her's. She completely melted under his taste, her hands grasping at the bottom of his shirt to balance herself. A few moments passed before Naruto pulled away slowly.

"What - what was that for...?" Sakura breathed, still a bit taken aback.

Naruto blushed slightly. "You just looked so irresistible, Sakura-chan," he said simply. "I don't know how you do it."

She smiled warmly at him. He didn't always know the right things to say, but when it came to it, his words were unmatched. "Thank you..." she said.

"For what, Sakura-chan?"

"For being you."

End «

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><p>I have really boring ideas...<p> 


	8. chapter eight: Innocence

» Chapter eight: Innocence

It was a bright, sunny afternoon, a day when most children would be outside playing with their friends, young genin would be training, and ninja would watch them, thinking about the next generation that was to replace them. That's how it was, after all.

But it wasn't so with one young boy. He would have loved to play with his friends, if he had any. He would have loved to be at home and spend time with his parents, if they were alive. Sadly, he didn't have any of these things, so instead he sat underneath the shade of a tree, spiky blonde hair covering the sadness in his eyes.

A young girl was spending time with her friend, playing in the sunshine as they often did. "Oh, I just remembered," said the girl's friend, brushing her short blonde hair out of her eyes, "I have to be home early today."

"What?" the girl said, sadness flickering in her green eyes. "But... My mommy isn't picking me up until three. That's twenty minutes away!" She pouted. "I don't want to be alone..."

"You'll be okay," the blonde said with a smile. She gave her friend a reassuring pat on the head. "Just be sure not to talk to any strangers!" The young child brushed a few stray strands of pink hair out of her friend's face. "Stay beautiful!" she added, and with that, she stalked off.

"Bye, Ino-chan!" she called after her friend, then turned around to examine the playground. There were still many children playing, but mostly boys. She didn't mind boys, but she had never really talked to one and was afraid they would make fun of her, just like those girls did.

Suddenly, she spotted someone sitting underneath a tree, alone. Was he waiting for someone? Perhaps his parents were running late. _He looks so... sad_, she thought, frowning. The girl went over to sit on a bench, deciding she shouldn't just stare at him and instead would simply wait for her mother to come for her.

Nearly fifteen minutes passed as she waited for her mother to come through, and she realised that the boy was still there. _Maybe I should go talk to him..._ The girl made her way over to the boy sitting beneath the tree. "Hi!" she said with an enthusiastic smile.

The blond looked up at him. "Uh, who are you...?" he questioned, scrutinising her.

"My name is Sakura," she said, her smile a little nervous. She didn't know how he would react to her. "What's your name?"

"Naruto," he told her, brows furrowed together. "What... Do you want?"

Sakura sat down in front of him. "I just wanted to say hi," she murmured. "And... Why are you all alone?"

_Why isn't she being mean, like everyone else?_ Naruto thought, his expression relaxing and turning into that of curiosity. Then he looked down at his feet. "Everyone hates me," he said suddenly, pouting.

"I don't hate you."

"W-what?"

She grinned. "That's at least one person, right?"

"I-"

"Sakura! Time to go home!"

Her head turned. "Coming!" she called, then looked back at Naruto. "Bye! It was nice meeting you!" She scrambled towards her mother as the blonde boy looked on.

_Sakura-chan... is so nice._

End «

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><p>Wasn't really sure what to do for this theme, so I decided to do it on Sakura's innocence as a child. She never really hated him when they were young, like everyone else; she really only started thinking of him as annoying and a nuisance when him and Sasuke accidentally kissed. Hope you liked it, anyway.<p> 


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